An announcement by the American Red Cross that it would not buy a house in a Washington suburb involving a discriminatory covenant of purchase was lauded today by the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith in a message to the organization and its new president, Gen. Alfred M. Gruenther.
The Red Cross announced it would not purchase property it had been considering in the Spring Valley section of Washington “after carefully considering all the factors involved.” Gen. Gruenther said he was “naturally against” any racial or religious discrimination and that he would approve only a “valid document.”
A Red Cross spokesman said this meant a covenant that did not contain restrictive clauses based on race or religion, which have been ruled unenforceable by the U.S. Supreme Court and are threfore not legally recognized. Although unenforceable, the clause is still carried in some deeds.
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